Lather-forming device



March 31, 1931. R. H. WAGER 1,798,346

LATHER FORMING DEVICE I Original Filed April 30, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet lMarch 31, 1931. R. H. WAGER LATHER FORMING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Original Filed April 30, 1928 Swan/what pfilyer',

axe

Patented Mar. 31, 1931 STATES PATENT QFFEE LATHER-FGRMING DEVICEApplication filed April 30, 1928, Serial No. 274,121, and in CanadaMarch 5, 1928.

Renewed September The invention relates to lather forming devices of thegeneral type disclosed in my U. Patents 1,554,146, 1,554,1t7 and1,554,148, and my pending U. S. application Serial No. 259,519, filedMarch 6, 1928.

Oneobject of the invention is to generally simplify and cheapenconstruction without sacrificing durability or efi'iciency.

Another aim is to produce an improved means for condensing soap bubblesto a lather.

Yet another object is to provide a bubble condensing means which may beadjusted to produce a thick, thin or medium lather, as desired.

lVith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subjectmatter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplishedby reference to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view partly in elevation. 7

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig; 1, the hand bulbbeing omitted.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the receptacle.

Fig. 4 is a complete vertical sectional View.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal sectional views onthe correspondinglynumbered lines of Fig. 4, looking in the directions indicated by thearrows of said lines.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the plateof the bubble condensing means.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 10 is a detail section on line 10-1O of Fig. 4.

Fig; 11 is a bottom plan view of the soap cake supporting device, anddirecting channels for delivering the mingled air and water intangential direction from rim of said support.

The form of constructionillustrated in the drawings, will bespecifically described, with the understanding that within the scope ofthe invention as-claimed, variations may be made.

I provide a receptacle 12 having a flat bottom 18' and an integral skirt1%} projecting downwardly below said bottom. Bott m 13 lower is formedwith a central opening 15, and the skirt 14 is provided with adownwardly opening notch 16. At opposite sides of this notch, the skirtis reinforced at its outer side by vertical ridges 17 whose upper endsare shaped at 18 to provide an outwardly opening socket for a purpose toappear. The sidewall of the receptacle 12 is permanently imperforate andhence said receptacle is adapted to be filled to the brim with liquid.in a number of the prior devices of the general type to which t iepresent invention relates, a lateral filling neck was provided on thereceptacle wall so positioned as to limit the extent of filling,providing a bubble-receiving chamber between the liquid level andbubble-condensing means embodied in a cap for thereceptacle. However,this neck has complicated molding of the receptacle from glass and othermaterials and hence it has now been omitted, and while the receptacle isfilled to the brim, provision is made within the cap of said receptaclefor providing the necessary bubble space between the liquid and thebubblecondensing means, all of which will be hereinafter specificallydescribed.

An admission tube 19 for air or other gas, is upwardly inserted in thenotch 16 and is provided with an enlargement 20 which is inwardlyinserted into the socketformation 18. The inner end of this tube 19 isprovided with a head 21 which contacts with the receptacle bottom 18 andmay if desired be provided at its upper portion with a coating of cementto abut said bottom. A tubular gas admission post 22 passes at its lowerportion through the opening 15 and is threaded at 23, into the head 21,said post being shouldered at 24: to contact with the upper side of thereceptacle bottom 13. Under this shoulder, cement may be used ifdesired. I

In prior devices, air admission means cor responding to the tube 19 hasbeen cast integrally with the receptacle, further complicating themanufacture of the latter. Hence, by the construction herein disclosed,manufacture is facilitated and cheapened. The lowerend of the post 22'securely anchors the inner end of the tube 19 and the co-actingformations 18-20 support the outer end of said tube so that it cannot bepried downwardly with any danger of breaking the bottom or other portionof the receptacle. In initial assembly, the portion of the tube 19between its enlargement 20 and head 21, is slipped into the notch 16,said tube is then slid radially inward until said enlargement 20 seatswithin the socket formation 18, and the post 22 is then installed.

Internally, the up er end of the post 22 is shaped to form a. valve seat25 with which a ball valve 26 co-acts, and to hold this ball againstmovement out of the post, I prefer to inwardly bend portions of thelatter as at 27.

A sleeve :28, closed at its upper end 29, surrounds and extends over thepost 22 and is spaced from the latter, said sleeve terminating inupwardly spaced relation with the receptacle bottom 13 and beingprovided its lower end with a substantially conical, outwardly declinedtlai-ige 30. This flange rests directly upon the bottom 13 and isprovided in its lower side with pitched recesses or grooves 31 whichopen through its peripheral edge and serve to discharge gas into thereceptacle 12 from the space within the flange and the sleeve 28. Due tothe angular po sitioning or pitch of the recesses or the like 31, theingoing gas is whirled so that agitation of the liquid is effectedaround, under and over an annular soap cake 32, to rapidly term soapbubbles. The soap cake surrounds the sleeve 28 and is held centered bythe latter, and it rests upon radial webs 33 formed upon the upper sideof the flange 30. These webs so support the soap cake that the water maybe agitated under it to assist in forming the soap bubbles.

To prevent the sleeve 28 from accidentally sliding off of the post 22when the cap of the device is removed and the contents of the receptacle 12 are being discharged, 1 provide said post with lateral lugs34 receivable in bayonet grooves 35 formed in the sleeve 28. Upon manualturning of this sleve sutiiciently to bring the lugs 34 in alinementwith the vertical portions of the bayonet grooves 85, said sleeve andthe flange 80 may be removed for cleaning. To facilitate application andremoval of the sleeve, its upper end is preferably roughened as at 36,for instance by the formation of a multiplicity of fine vertical ribsthereon.

A cap 37 is provided for the receptacle 12, said cap having a continuousdownwardly projecting side wall preferably formed of an upper annularsection 38 integral with the cap body and a lower rotatable section 39,the two sections being suitably connected, as at l0. The inner side ofthe wall section is provided with tapered ribs 41 to underlie lugs onthe receptacle wall to secure cap and receptacle together, when saidsection 39 is turned in one direction, and to permit removal of the capwhen said section is reversely turned. A gasket 42 of rubber or otherelastic material is disposed Within the wall section 39 and is heldagainst dropping therefrom by the ribs 41. When the cap is applied tothe receptacle, this gasket rests upon the upper edge of the receptaclewall, and the lower edge of the wall section 38 is held solidly uponsaid gasket.

The body portion 43 of the cap 37 is of more or less plate-like form andis provided in its lower side with a plurality of preferably segmentalpockets M; spaced about its central portion. One of these pockets isprovided with an outlet 45 communicating with a lather discharge spout46, which spout is preferably formed as a separate piece from the cap37, being cemented or otherwise secured to the latter.

A screen 4-7 contacts with the lower side or. the cap body and extendsacross the open lower side of all of the pockets 44%. A plate 48disposed within the confines ot' the wall section 38. contacts with thelower side of the screen 47 and is provided in its upper side with aplurality of pockets l9 similar to the pockets 44. and disposed inoverlapping relation with the latter. One of these pockets 49 is formedwith a bubble inlet 50. Bubbles from the space between the lower side ofthe plate -18 and the liquid in the receptacle 12, pass upwardly underpressure through the inlet 50, an d due to the arrangement of pocketsa9e4- and screen 17, these bubbles must pass alternately in oppositedirections through said screen before reaching the outletand dischargingfrom the nozzle lt). It the inlet 50 and outlet 45 be diametricallyopposed, the bubbles will travel in opposite directions from said inletto said outlet and hence will pass a great number of times through thescreen, so that a very thick creamy shaving lather is produced. Byturning the plate 18 however, so that inlet 50 is closer to outlet 45,measured at one side of the center of said plate, than at the oppositeside of said center, then the bubbles will take the shorter course, willtravel a fewer number of times through the screen, and consequently willnot produce such a thick or dense lather. As a thick lather, a thinlather or a medium lather, will meet all requirements, I have madeprovision for three adjustments of the plate 48 to obtain lathers ofthese characteristics.

Finger pieces or handles 51 are formed on the lower side of the plate 18for turning it as required. Also formed on this plate, is an arrow 52 orother indicator (Fig. 7) cooperable with stationary indicators, such asthe numbers 1, 2, 3. When plate 18 is turned to position arrow 52 towardthe fixed indicator 1, inlet 50 is diametrically opposite out let a5 andhence the pockets and screens are plate with one or more angular lugs 53receivable in cii'cuinferentially spaced recesses 54 formed in the loweredge of the wall section The gasket 42 supports the plate 48 and henceholds the lugs 53 yieldably in the recesses 44, and said gasket willyield to'permit turning of the plate from one position to another whendesired, or may be removed.

Attention is invited to' the fact that the plate 48 is upwardly spacedto quite an extent from the brim or upper edge of the receptacle 12.Hence, even though this receptacle be filled to the brimwith liquid,there will be a space 55 provided between the liquid level and the plate48 in which generated bubbles may accumulate prior to passage throughthe bubble-condensing means to the lather outlet spout 46. It isessential that a proper space be provided between the hubble condensingmeans and the liquid level.

r In prior devices, provision for this space was made within the upperportion of the recep tacle and a lateral filling neck was provided whichprevented filling beyond a predetermined level, to preserve the space inquestion.

" For ease of and inexpensive manufacture,

this neck has now been omitted and it is in tended that the receptaclebe filled to the brim. Hence, to provide for the necessary bubble space,the bubble-condensing means has been upwardly spaced within the cap,from the brim of the receptacle wall.

A hand bulb 56 is shown for injecting air under pressure into thedevice, through the tube 19, post 22, etc. The outer end of this bulb isprovided with a check valve 57 which admits air to said bulb upondistention of the latter, but closes upon compression of said bulb.Soapy liquid leaking back through the air passage, might reach the valve57, particularly upon tilting of the entire device and would clog saidvalve so that it would not properly function. To prevent such occurrences, the outer end of the bulb 56 is provided with an inwardlyprojecting lug or boss 58,

and the valve 57 is mounted in this projection.

Thus, soapy liquid within the bulb 56 cannot reach the check valve eventhough the device he turned to position said valve straight downward.

To use the device, the receptacle 12 is filled with water afterinserting the soap cake 32, and the cap 37 is then fastened to saidreceptacle, after first adjusting the plate 48 according to the densityof lather desired. Then, operation of the bulb 56 causes injection ofair which escapes into the receptacle through the recesses 31 producingagitation of water around the soap cake 32 and hence generating soapbubbles. These bubbles accumulate in the spaces 55 and are'forced by theaccumulating pressure within the receptacle, into and through the bubblecondensing means, it'rom the inlet 50 to the outletspout 46. In sotraveling, the bubbles must pass a plurality of times through the screen47, the passes through the screen being controlled by the setting of theplate 48 and the consequent spaced relation between the inlet 50 and theoutlet-45.

After using the device, the cap may be easily removed and all remainingliquid poured from the receptacle 12, during which pouring operation,theconnection 2425 will prevent the sleeve 28' from sli'ding'out of thereceptacle, and obviously the soap cake will be stuck to the sleeve orthe webs33 sufficiently to prevent accidental sliding therefrom.lVhenever it is advisable to removethe sleeve 28,'for instance, tothoroughly clean all parts this may be accomplished by manuallyr'otatopen topped receptacle for a sapon'a'ceou's liquid, saidreceptacle being provided with a permanently imperforat'e sidewall andbeing hence adapted for filling to its v brim, means for forcinga gasthrough the liquid to produce soap bubbles, a cap for said recepta'clefluid-tightly and removably secured thereto, said cap having a latheroutlet, an'd bubble cOndensing means in said cap spaced upwardly fromthe brim of said receptacle't'o provide a space in which generatedbubbles may accu ulate before passage through said bubble-condensingmeans to" said lather outlet.

2. In a lather forming device a liquid receptacle having a tubular gasadmission post risingrigidly from it'sbottom, a' sle'eve surroundingandspaced from' said post and closed at its upper end, said sleeve"terminatingin upwardly spaced relation withsaid bottom and beingprovided at itsl'owe'r end with an outwardly declinedannularflangeresting on said bottom, said flange being adapted to supportsleeve-encircling soap and having recess'es in its peripheral portiontodischarge gas into the receptacle'from the spac'e'beneath the flange.

3. In a lather' forming device, a liquid receptacle, a substantiallyconical support at the bottom thereof, the upper side of said sup portbeing provided with substantially radial Webs to contact with'the lowerside'of a soa'p cake,-and means for admittinggasunder pressure into thereceptacle around said sup- .Y

ceptacle, a substantially conical support at the bottom thereof providedwith an upwardly projecting member at its apex for holding an annularsoap cake centered upon the support, the upper side of said supportbeing provided with substantially radial webs to contact with the lowerside of the soap cake, and means for admitting gas under pressure intothe receptacle around said support.

5. In a lather forming device, a liquid receptacle having an opening inits bottom and provided with a skirt projecting downwardly below saidbottom, said skirt being formed with a downwardly opening notch and withan outwardly opening socket at the upper end of said notch, a radiallydisposed gas admission tube upwardly inserted into said notch and havingan enlarged portion inwardly inserted into said socket, the inner end ofsaid tube being provided with a head lying against the receptaclebottom, and a tubular gas admission post whose lower end passesdownwardly through the aforesaid opening in the receptacle bottom, saidpost end being shouldered to rest on said bottom and having a threadedconnection with said head.

6. In a lather forming device, bubble condensing means comprising ascreen, two plates contacting with opposite sides of said screen andeach having a plurality of pockets spaced apart circumferentially of theplates, two spaced pockets of said plates having a bubble inlet and alather outlet respectively, the pockets of one plate bein disposed inoverlapping relation with those of the other plate to cause passage ofthe bubbles alternately through the screen in opposite directions.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6; together with means mountingsaid plates to permit relative turning thereof, whereby the spacedrelation between said inlet and said outlet may be varied.

8. In a lather forming device, a receptacle cap having a continuous sidewall projecting downwardly and provided with means for connecting it toa receptacle wall, said cap having a plurality of downwardly openingpockets spaced apart around its central portion, one of said pocketsbeing provided with a lather outlet, a screen extending across saidpockets, and a plate within the confines of said side wall andcontacting with the lower side of said screen, said plate having pocketsin its upper side spaced about its center and disposed in overlappingrelation with the first named pockets, a pocket of said plate spacedfrom the aforesaid outlet being provided with a bubble inlet, said platebeing rotatable within said side wall to vary the relation between saidinlet and said outlet.

9. In a lather forming device, a receptacle cap having a continuous sidewall projecting downwardly and provided with means for connecting it toa receptacle wall, said cap having a plurality of downwardly openingpockets spaced apart around its central portion, one of said pocketsbeing provided with a lather outlet, a screen extending across saidpockets, an elastic receptacle-engaging gasket surrounded by said sidewall and held against dropping therefrom, a plate contacting with thelower side of said screen and with the upper side of said gasket, theupper side of said plate being formed with a plurality of pockets spacedapart about its center and disposed in overlapping relation with thefirst named pockets, a pocket of said plate spaced from the aforesaidoutlet being provided with a bubble inlet, handle means for said platepermitting turning thereof to vary the relation between said inlet andsaid outlet, and co-acting means on said plate and cap held yieldably inengagement with each other by the elasticity of said gasket foryieldably holding said plate in any position to which it is turned.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ROBERT HUDSON WVAGER.

